Gas-radiator



B. F. HULSE.

GAS RADIATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27, I917.

Patented N 0V5 18,1919.

2 SHEETS -SHEET- i.

B. F. HULSE.

GAS RADiATOR.

' 7 APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27, 1917. 1,322,444. Patented Nov. 18, 1919.

. Y J 5 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. 4 20 12 Z 79 4 I J kuuuuuuuuuu UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN F. HULSE, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO THOMAS J. POTTER, OF 140$ .ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

GAS-RADIATOR.

Application filed. March 27, 1917.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. HULSE,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Gas-Radiator, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the art of heating and ventilation, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a radiator of pleasing appearance in which gas is used as a fuel in which there will be a very high efficiency of heat transformation, and which will be absolutely safe to operate in ordinary dwellings.

It is common practice in many parts of the country to use open gas stoves for heating, these stoves being placed in the rooms it is desired to heat and taking their air of combustion from the air of the room, and in many cases discharging the products of combustion back into the room. Such stoves are extremely dangerous, due to the fact that they rapidly use up the oxygen in the room, substituting therefor carbon-dioxid, and in many cases due to imperfect combustion they generate carbon-monoxid which is an extremely insidious and dangerous poison. In

my invention I provide for the removal of all products of combustion to the external air through a suitable flue.

I am aware that there are other forms of gas consuming devices on the market which are provided with flues, but many of these devices are ineffective due to the fact that the carbon-dioxid and carbon-monoxid are heavy gases which tend to settle out of the products of combustion and move back through the heating devices to the inlet thereof, and from thence back into the room.

A further object of my invention is to provide a gas trap which will absolutely prevent heavy gases from returning to the combustion chamber from the body of theradiator proper.

The use of open gas fiames in heating is often objectionable due to the fact that under certain conditions explosive fumes may be present in the space to be heated and these fumes coming in contact with the open flame will cause dangerous explosions.

A further object of my invention is to provide a gas radiator which can be used n a highly ex losive atmosphere without dan ger of exp osions be ng caused thereby.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 18, 1919.

Serial No. 157,820.

Further objects and advantages will be evident to one skilled in the art, after an examination of the annexed drawings and the following specification.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a gas rad ator embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical central longitudinal section through the center of the radiator shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on a plane represented by the line 33 Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section on a by the line H of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a section on a plane represented by the line 5-5 Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the combustion shell and gas trap.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a type of burner used.

In the radiator illustrated, two end sections 11, four intermediate sections 12 and a central section 13 are used, the number of sections being varied to suit different conditions and capacities.

The end sections 11 each consists of a fiat elongated chamber, preferably formed of cast iron, having an outer side 14 and an inner side 15, these sides being bent around at the top and edges, and joined to form a tight wall. Projecting from the sides 15 near the upper end thereof is a pair of hot air flues formed with projecting lips 16, these flues having elongated apertures 17 therethrough, as shown in Fig. 3. Formed at the bottom of the sides 15 is alip 18 surrounding a combustion chamber opening 19. The lips 18 and the lips 16 fit in air tight relationship inside of corresponding and slightly larger lips 20 and 21 on the intermediate section 12 immediately adjacent thereto. Formed on the opposite side of this intermediate section 12 from the lips 20 and 21 are lips 23 and 24 which are similar in form and size to the lips 16 and 18 and which in turn fit inside of lips 20 and 21 formed on the next intermediate section 12. This section in turn is provided with lips 23 and 24 which fit inside lips 20 and 21 on the central section 13. The central section 13 diflers from the intermediate section 12 in that it has a central partition 30 extending thereacross and dividing the interior of the section 13 into a flue chamber 31 and a c m us ion chamber 32. A flu 33 extends out from the chamber 31 near the bottom thereof. Formed in the bottom of each of the sections 11, 12 and 13 is an opening 35, and secured in this opening and running the whole length of the radiator is a pair of longitudinally disposed plates 36 and 37 forming an internal member having a combustion shell 38 and gas trap 39, the

plates 36 and 37 being preferably formed of sheet metal, but which, it is understood, may be made of cast metal, if desired. members 36 and 37 are so arranged as to make a tight closure with the end walls of each of the sections 11. The sheet metal members 36 and 37 are bent down so as to form an inlet projection 40 which extends through the opening 35 and which is provided with a strip of miners gauze 4L1 tightly secured thereto, this strip of miners gauze 41:1 forming the only inlet to the radiator and through it all the air of combustion is taken. The members 36 and 37 are so secured as to make a tight closure in the bottom of the opening 35, with the exception of the opening in the wire gauze 41. The remainder of the radiator is so constructed that it is air tight, the only inlet being through the wire gauze 11, and the only outlet being through the flue 33. A normally tight cover 44: is pivoted at 46 on the end wall of one of the end sections 11, this cover being so arranged that it can be opened for the purpose of igniting the burners and starting the radiator. The sheet metal members 36 and 37 are bent at 50 and 51 to form a shelf 52, side walls 53 being then formed, terminating in a bend 54 from which inclined walls 55 extend up \vardly. Bends 56 connect the inclined walls 55 with the circular walls 57 of the gas trap 39, these circular walls 57 terminating in short lips'o8 having an opening 59 therebetween. In the burner shown gas pipes 60 are located inside the combustion shell 38, resting on the shelves 52 and being provlded with a plurality of burners 61.

The gas pipes 60 are fed through a single pipe 63 provided with a valve 64 from any convenient source of gas supply.

The method of operation is as follows:

The valve 64 being opened, the burners 61 can be lighted by opening the cover 44:, and a vigorous combustion takes place inside the combustion shell 38 throughout the length of the heater. The amount of gas admitted, and the degree of heat obtained,

may be regulated by the valve 64:. The

products of combustion rise inside the combustion shell 38 and enter the gas trap 39. The function of this gas trap is peculiar and important. I have found that where hot gases are allowed to pass up through a chamber that they have a strong tendency to follow the wall of the chamber and to stratify. I have furtherfql lld that where The such stratification takes place that it is possible for hot uses to pass up through an opening and for heavy cold gases to pass down through the same opening, either through the center thereof or along a similar wall. I have further found by experiments extending over a considerable period that if the gases can be so directed as to form an eddy that any cold and heavy gases which would tend to return through th opening are caught in this eddy, mixed with the upwardly flowing gases, and carried out, due to the draft. It is for this purpose that the gas trap 39 is furnished, and a series of careful tests have demonstrated that it is eflicient in absolutely preventing the return of heavy gases through the opening 1 have also found that a temporary back draft from the fine is broken up oy the trap, which action of the trap prevents blowing out of the flame which would otherwise take place.

The heated gases from the opening 59 rise into the interior of the various radiator sections and pass upwardly therethrough to the apertures 17, passing successively through these apertures into the central sec tion and downwardly through the fine chamber 31 of that section to the flue 33, through which they are delivered to a suitable chimney, not shown. Any carbonmonoxid or carbon-dioxid which is formed, and which is carried into the center of the radiator, through the opening 59, is very effectively trapped by the gas trap 39, and in the course of time it finds its way to the fine 33. These heavy gases tend to settle in the bottom of the radiator sections where they come in contact with the heated metal members 36 and 37 and are reheated and recirculated inside the sections, instead of falling back into and smothering the fire, thus causing imperfect combustion, or escaping into the room. As the radiator is absolutely tight above the heated metal members 36 and 37 with the exception of the line 33 which is open only to the chimney, it is evident that there is no danger of any fumes escaping into the air of the room. There is a tendency for water to condense inside radiators, and any water which may condense inside the sections 11 and 12 would finally come into contact with the other sides of the members 36 and 37, being turned to steam and passed through the apertures 17 into the central section 13. Any condensation in this section. is caught by the central partition 30 which is heated by the hot gases from the opening 59 striking directly thereon, and this water is also turned to steam so that it readily passes off through the flue The miners gauze 41 very effectually prevents explosions due to explosive fumes in the outer air, this gauze acting on the principle of the miners safety lam-p.

It will be seen that my invention consists in the introduction of a combustion shell inside a radiator, in which the combustion takes place, this combustion shell being provided with a gas trap between it and the rest of the radiator, so that there is no danger of heavy and poisonous gases working their way back through the radiator into the air of the room, but they fall on the heated outer walls of the combustion shell where the same are reheated and dissipated, the space at the sides of the combustion chamber being in fact a reheating chamber. I do not, however, limit my invention to the specific form of gas trap shown, but claim any form of device by means of which the gases are prevented from falling back into the combustion chamber, or being dissipated into the room.

It will be seen that my invention also consists, in the novel construction of a radiator which is so arranged that it can be readily built at a minimum expense.

I claim as my invention 1. A gas trap for preventing heavy gases which have cooled in a flue from returning to a combustion chamber, comprising walls forming a gas trap chamber having a combustion chamber opening along the bottom thereof through which the products of combustion from the combustion chamber enter the gas trap chamber, said gas trap chamber being entirely free of internal projections or members to allow the gases which pass therethrough to whirl or eddy, and a flue opening of the same size as said combustion chamber opening in the walls of said gas trap chamber and opposite said combustion chamber opening through which said products of combustion pass from said gas trap chamber into the flue.

2. A gas trap as specified in claim 1 in which the combustion chamber opening and the flue opening are centrally located with reference to the center line of said gas trap chamber.

3. A gas trap as specified in claim 2 in which the walls forming the gas trap cham her are cylindrical in contour.

4. A combustion chamber comprising combustion chamber walls forming a chamber symmetrical around a central vertical plane; a perforated metal member closing an opening in the bottom of said chamber; gas burners above and to one side of said opening; and a gas trap as specified in claim 3 formed from said combustion chamber walls and symmetrical with said plane.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 21st day of March, 1917.

BENJAMIN F. HULSE. 

